Twisted metal staple and yarn formed therefrom



Dec. 13,1960

B. J. ROSENBLATT 2,963,850

TWISTED METAL STAPLE AND YARN FORMED THEREFROM Filed NOV. 15, 1957 MKM AT OKA/EX United States Patent C TWISTED METAL STAPLE AND YARN FORMED THEREF ROM Bernard J. Rosenhlatt, New York, N.Y.', assignor to Standard Yarn Mills Inc., Woodside, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Nov. 13, 1957, Ser. No. 696,237 4 Claims. (Cl. 57-139) The present invention is directed to a twisted metal staple and yarn formed therefrom.

In the forming of yarn from metal staple, as for example metal staple comprising aluminum coated with a plastic such as Mylar (a polymer formed from ethylene glycol and terepthalic acid) or lacquer, or silver, or gold, it is conventional to spin such yarn from fiat ribbons of the metal. Difiiculty has been encountered in forming yarn from flat ribbons of metal because of the pronounced tendency of the smooth metal staple fibers to slip past each other and for the yarn to become disentangled. It has been suggested to crinkle the staple as by making the same kinky in order to increase the friction between the metal staple fibers and facilitate spinning thereof into yarn. However, this has proved to be not altogether satisfactory since the finished yarn does not present in all cases an entirely symmetrical yarn, and therefore may prove to be unattractive.

This invention has an object the provision of a novel metal staple.

This invention has as another object the provision of novel metal yarn.

This invention has as yet another object the provision of a new process for forming metal yarn.

This invention has as yet another object the provision of novel articles of manufacture formed from twisted metal staple.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

I have discovered that unlike staples formed from non-metallic fibers, such as natural or synthetic fibers, a metal staple having a thickness of from 0.0005 to 0.008 inch and having a width of from one hundred twentieth of an inch to one-eighth of an inch will remain twisted after being twisted to the degree of between three turns and thirty turns per inch, with the larger number of turns being feasible for the thinner staple (e.g. it being practicable to place up to thirty turns per inch on staple which is one hundred twentieth of an inch thick) and the smaller number of turns being practicable on the wider staple (e.g. it being practicable to put three turns per inch on staple which is oneeighth inch wide). I have further found that such twisted staple will retain its twist when cut to as small a length as the length of a single twist. Thus, the twisted staple of my invention may be cut into lengths of one-sixteenth of an inch or even smaller. It may be used for forming yarn when out into lengths of one-quarter inch to five inches. The staple of my invention may have both of its faces of the same color, or it may have one face of one color and the other face of another color so that peculiar and strikingly attractive effects may be obtained utilizing the twisted staple of the present invention.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention there is shown in the drawings forms which are presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

ice

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like parts:

Figure l is a perspective View of a ribbon of metal which may be used in my invention prior to the twisting and cutting of the same.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective View of a twisted ribbon of metal of the present invention, such ribbon of metal having one color on one surface and another color on its other surface.

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the cut twisted metal staple of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a perspective view revealing spun yarn formed from the staple of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view revealing an attractive article made from the twisted metal staple of the present invention.

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 77 of Figure 6.

Referring to the drawings, the present invention may utilize a ribbon of metal designated 10 in Figures 1 and 2. In the illustrated embodiment the ribbon of metal 10 comprises a ribbon of aluminum 12 formed as a flat band that is sandwiched intermediate plastic layers 14 and 16, the same compietely coating each of the faces of the aluminum band 12. For attractive effect, the plastic layers 14 and 16 may be differently colored so that the aluminum carries one color on one surface and another color on its other surface. As heretofore indicated, this invention comprehends the use of all metal ribbons, whether coated on one or both surfaces, and whether presenting the same or different colors on each of its surfaces. In particular, the present invention is directed to metal bands or ribbons having an overall thickness including any coating of between 0.0005 inch to 0.008 inch and having a width of between one hundred and twentieth of an inch and one-eighth of an inch. A Wide variety of metals may be used, the most common being aluminum, silver, and gold. A wide variety of plastics and lacquers may be used for coating the metal ribbons of the present invention, including Mylar, Mylar that has been metallized as by the method of Prindle Patent 2,714,569, cellulose derivatives, such as cellulose acetate, cellulose butyrate, etc.

In the illustrated embodiment, the coating 14 may not only be of different color from the coating 16, but it may be formed from a different plastic material.

The metal ribbon 1G is twisted uniformly as shown in Figure 3. The degree of twist may vary between three turns per inch and thirty turns per inch, and is preferably between five turns per inch and ten turns per inch with the preferred widths of metal ribbon which comprise widths of between one-eightieth of an inch to one-sixteenth of an inch. However, as heretofore indicated, as much as thirty twists to the inch may be utilized for metal ribbon which is one one hundred twentieth of an inch wide and is little as three twists to the inch may be utilized for ribbon which is one-eighth of an inch wide.

After being twisted the ribbon 10 is cut up into uniform twisted segments 18 as shown in Figure 4. Where the twisted segments 18 are to be used as staple for the spinning of yarn, the same should have a length of between one-quarter inch and five inches. However, as indicated below, there are uses to which the twisted segments 18 may be put other than for the spinning of yarn, so that useful articles may be fashioned from twisted segments having a length of as little as one sixty-fourth of an inch.

Where the twisted segments 18 are used for the manufacture of yarn 20, such twisted segments 18 may be spun by any of the conventional means for spinning yarns formed from metal ribbon. Small twisted segments 18, such as twisted segments having a length of but one-quarter inch maybe blown into yarn by conventional blowing spinning techniques. Twisted segments intended for other spinning techniques, such as conventional mechanical spinning processes may have a length of from one inch to three inches, and even up to five inches.

Spun yarns 20 produced from the twisted segments 18 of the present invention may be formed into striking and unusual articles. Thus, where the twisted segments are differently cflored'on their opposite surfaces, the yarn spun from such twisted segments will present a most unusual and striking appearance.

For the purposes of'graphic illustration, Figure 3 may be assumed to be a staple from which a yarn shown in Figure 5 is spun. The twisted segments 18 shown in Figure 4 may comprise a single twist, as shown in Figure 4, or the twisted segments may comprise a large number of twists, as for example in the case of Figure 3.

For very small twisted segments, as for segments con1- prising a single twist such as those designated 18 in Figure 4, articles of striking appearance may be made by sandwiching such twisted segments 18 intermediate two layers of clear plastic 22 and 24 as shown in Figures 6 and 7. The twisted segments may be carried within the adhesive, which may be a water-white adhesive. twisted segments 18 will present a striking appearance when the plastic layers 22 and 24 are viewed from either side. The sandwich of layers and twisted segments shown in Figures 6 and 7 has considerable use as a material for the forming of a wide variety of articles, including purses, coverings, etc.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A metal staple having a rectangular cross-section, said metal staple being coated on at least one of its faces with a non-metallic coating, said metal staple having a width of between one one hundred and twentieth of an inch and one-eighth of an inch, an overall thickness including both the metal and the coating of between 0.0005 inch to 0.008 inch, said metal staple having a thickness substantially greater than the thickness of the coating, with said metal staple being uniformly twisted to the extent of having between three and thirty twists to the inch.

2. A metal staple in accordance with claim 1 in which the metal is coated on both of its faces.

3. A metal staple in accordance with claim 2 in which each of the metal faces presents a different color to the viewer.

4. A metallic yarn spun from a plurality of individually twisted metal staples, said metal staples being coated on at least one of their faces with a non-metallic coating, each of said metal staples having a length of between one-quarter of an inch and five inches, a rectangular cross-section, a width .of between one one hundred and twentieth of an inch andone-eighth of an inch, a thickness of between 0,0005 inch to 0.008 inch, with said twisted metal staple being uniformly twisted to the extent of having between three and thirty twists to the inch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 161,226 Hamilton Mar. 23, 1875 2,003,994 DAvocourt June 4, 1935 2,214,842 Sweet et al Sept. 17, 1940 2,714,569 Prindle et al. Aug. 2, 1955 2,772,994 Lacy Dec. 4, 1956 

